Australia's The Curse of Company is the union of several musicians known primarily for their roles in other projects: vocalist and guitarist David Wiley Rennick of Dappled Cities, vocalist Sarah Kelly of Redsunband, drummer Danny Heifetz of Mr. Bungle, and bass guitarist Jack Ladder. Led by Rennick, the band's principle songwriter, The Curse of Company recently released its debut, Leo Magnets Joins a Gang, through Los Angeles-based Dangerbird Records.
Full of hazy guitars and delicate, ethereal harmonies, Leo Magnets Joins a Gang is tailor-made for a rainy day playlist. The album's opening track, "The Parade Devine," sets the mood for what's to follow, with the spacey strumming of guitars and fuzz of a snare drum. Accompanied by Rennick and Kelly's shared vocals, "The Parade Devine" serves to lull the listener into a mellow state that lingers far beyond the remaining 40 minutes of the album.
One of the loveliest songs on Leo Magnets Joins a Gang is "I Have a Simple Life," featuring Kelly's whisper-soft vocals against a sparse guitar background. Eerie whistling and ghostlike vocals flutter in towards the end of the track, and it seems that, at less than two-and-a-half minutes in length, its only fault is being far too short.
On their first attempt together, the members of The Curse of Company will likely have listeners excited for more. But in the meantime, fans can look forward to an upcoming release from Rennick's Dappled Cities, which recently finished recording its third album.
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